Garment hanger



J. F. HARRISON GARMENT HANGER Feb. 15, 193.8.

` Filed Oct. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

m M m @30m 1 /W f du* /m w@ J8 Feb-15, 1938. J. F. HARmsON l 2,108,757

GARMENT HANGER FiAISd 0G13. l5, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INYBNTR BY ffm @HW/76m ow? 8%/ ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. l5, 1938 UNITED lSTATES PATENT oFFicE 5 Claims.

This invention relates, as indicated, to garment hangers and more particularly to devices whereby a garment such as, for example, a dress, coat, blouse, or the like may be suitably supported w5 either for purposes of packing or for purposes of display in show windows and the like.

A garment hanger, in order to be useful for the above described purposes, should be able toso support the garment carried thereb-y that the garment has substantially the same appearance as that when worn. In ,other words, provision should be made for `supporting the garment both from the shoulders, as well as from the waist or belt portion and means should be provided whereby the portion intermediate the shoulders and lbelt be capable of being bloused out as is the case when the garment is worn.

I am aware of the fact that there have been devices proposed in the prior art to accomplish this general result; however, such devices have been rather unsatisfactory due to the fact that the garment has had to be pinned onto the holder in order for the holder to function in the manner above explained. l

In the light of the foregoing, it is a principal object of my invention to provide a garment hanger capable of being used in the manner described without, however, there being any necessity for pinning the garment which is usually undesirable due to the fact that pinholes have a tendency to permanently deface the garment.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a hanger of the character described in which the portions of the garment which are folded in order to accommodate the same to the garment hanger are arranged in smooth folds so that the application of the garment tothe hanger does not have the tendencyY to either injure the garment or so wrinkle the same as to require it being re-p-ressed before it can be worn.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a hanger of the character described in which the application of the garment to the hanger is extremely simplified so that not only is the effort necessary to apply the garment to the hanger reduced to a minimum but due to the fact that minimum effort is required, the hanger is capable of being used in conjunction with very fragile garment materials which would be permanently damaged if applied to hangers of the type proposed in the prior art.

Other objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, b-ut o-ne of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of one form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention; Fig, 2 is a fragmentary part sectional, part elevational view of the upper portion of the central section of the hanger illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, takenon a plane substantially indicated by the line 3 3 and drawn to the scale of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but showing a garment applied to the structure of such lastnamed gure; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the lower portion of the central section of the garment hanger of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View of the assembly illustrated in Fig. 5 taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 6--6; Fig. 'l is a side elevational view of the hanger type form of construction of my garment hanger in contradistinction to the standing type illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the extensible connection employed to connect the two portions of the garment hanger illustrated in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a front elevation view of an alternative form of construction for one of the elements of the assemblies illustrated, for example, in Figs. 1 and 7; Fig. 10 is yet an-l other 'form of construction of such element and Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional View of the element illustrated in Fig. l0 taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line ll-I I.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings and more especially to Fig. l, the hanger assembly here illustrated consists of a stand generally indicated at l, a belt or Waist-supporting element generally indicated at 2, and a shouldersupporting element 3.

The stand l consists of a suitable base member 4 provided with an upwardly extending tubular member 5 which may be of any convenient length or if desired, a telescopically adjustable tube may be employed for the purpose of varying the height of the standard 5, if such should be desired, although it will be found that this is usually not necessary.

Mounted on the standard 5 is the belt or waistsupporting section 2, which, in Figs. 1 to 6, isv

illustrated as consisting of a substantially rectangular open frame 6 formed of wire or similar material re-enforced in the corners by gusset plates 'I and along its marginal edges, as at 8, bent to conform substantially to the contour of the waist or belt portion of the garment.

The wire or suitable element comprising the frame 6 is preferably intermediately of the upper side thereof bent in the form of a closed loop 9, providing an upwardly extending projection for the purposes hereinafter more fully explained.

The opposite ends of the wire frame are brought closely together to provide a downwardly extending projection upper end of the tube 5, will secure the frame 2 on the standard I.

Secured. to opposite sides of the open wire frame 2 are substantially U-shaped clamping members II and I2, as most clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6. For convenience, the ends of the legs of these U-shaped clamping members are secured in suitable fashion such as by welding, bracing or the like to the gusset plates I lying in opposite corners of one side of the frame 2. The legs of the other clamping member are similarly secured to the opposite faces of the gusset plates lying on the other si-de of the wire frame.

When the clamping members II and I2 are secured in the manner described, the frame 2 may be inserted within the garment, such as a dress illustrated in broken lines at I3 inFig. 1, and in full lines at I3 in Fig. 4.

It will be noted that theV width of the frame 2 is usually less than the width of the garment if it were laid out flat. With the wire frame 2 within the garment, the excess portions of the garment respectively lying on opposite sides of the wire frame 2 are gathered in folds as at I4 and I5 and folded in to the wire frame between the openings respectively dened between the clamps I I and I2 and the opposite sides of the central wire frame 6. This folding in of the garment may be conveniently acco-mplished by the operator merely running his hand up and down within the wire frame underneath the clamping members carrying with it the fold I4 of the garment. If this is done simultaneously on opposite sides of the frame, the garment may be evenly stretched to the extent desired over the frame and the frame positioned centrally with respect to the garment. Y

The foregoing description applies to the application of the central member 2 of my garment hanger to the belt or waist portion of the garment. Y

The hanger, as previously indicated, is provided with an upwardly extending projection 9 which, in the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 1, is inserted in the lower endV of a tubular member I6, the upper end of which telescopically supports a rod I'I carrying a shoulder-supporting bar I8. A set screw I9 is employed to adjust the rod I1 at any desired height.

From the fo-regoing description, it will be ob:- served that by the use of my improved hanger, the shoulder portion of the garment being supported by the rod Il and the bar I8 and the waist or belt portion being supported by the frame 2, it is possible to'support the shoulder portions at any desired height with respect to the belt or waist portion. In this manner the garment lying between the shoulders and waist may be bloused to any desirable extent, depending upon the character of the garment and the degree to which I0, which when fitted into the Y such blousing should be eiected in order to` best demonstrate the garment.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 7, the frame 2 is identical with that illustrated in Fig. 1 and described above.V

The modification illustrated in Fig. 7 is adapted, however, to support a garment by hanging the same on an overhead hook instead of supporting the same from the floor by means of a standard. This is accomplished, as indicated, by employing the same wire frame 2 for the waist or belt portion of the garment as is employed in the upright form illustrated in Fig. 1.

A wire or rod member is provided, the lower end of which is fashioned in the form of a hook 2| which slidably embraces the loop portion 9 of the frame 2, as most clearly illustrated in Fig. 8. In other words, the space between the two legs of the loop 9 forming a slight longitudinally extending depression or groove permits the point 22 of the hook to be resiliently forced over the loop 9. The slightly depressed end 22 of the hook 2I will then drop into the eye 23 of the loop 9 securing the two parts in assembled relation against accidental displacement. To the upper end of the bar or rod 20 is secured a block 24 which is provided with an opening therethrough to slidably accommodate a bar or rod 25. The lower end of the bar or rod 25 is provided with a block 26 secured thereto and provided with an opening adapted to slidably embrace the bar or rod 20.

A link 21 is loosely secured at one end of the looped terminal 28 of theV rod 26 and adjacent its `other end, isVV provided with an opening through which the rod 20 extends. This opening is just slightly larger than the outside diameter of the rod. 20 so that as the looped end 28 of the rod 25 pulls upwardly on the leffthand end of the bar 2I,k as viewed in Fig. 8, the bar will bind on the rod 20 and secure the two rods 20 and 25 against relative axial movement in a separating direction. In this manner I have provided for ready and simple adjustment of the length of the connecting means'generally indicated at 29 which, as illustrated in Fig. 7, extends Ybetween the waist or belt-supporting frame 2 and the shoulder-supporting member 30. The shoulder-supporting member 30 may be in the form of a conventional coat hanger with the loop 3l formed in the upper end of the rod 25 passed over the hook of the coat hanger as shown in Fig. 7. v

In Fig. 9, is illustrated a belt or waist-supporting member which may be substituted for the frame 2 in any of theV previously described forms of construction. The modification illustrated in Fig. 9 consistsV of a nat plate-like member 32 formed of suitable material such as chip-board or the like and marginally contoured as at 33 to conform substantially to the outline of the garment. Y .Y

The plate member 32 is provided with marginal slots 34 formed therein which produce narrow flexible marginalportions 35 on opposite sides of the plate. The modification illustrated in Fig. 9 may be employed in substantially the same manner as the frame 2, excepting that the folds of the garment corresponding to the folds I4 and I5 of Fig. 4, instead of being inserted between the clamping frames and central wire frame, are, when employing the modification of Fig. 9, inserted into the openings 34, so that such folded portions overlie the opposite faces of the plate member 32. Y

In Fig. 10, there is illustrated yet another modication of the waist or belt-supporting member and this consists of a substantially iiat member 36 desirably shaped similarly to the contour of the element illustrated in Fig. 9.

As most clearly illustrated in Fig. l1, the flat member 36 has U-shaped clamping members 3l secured to opposite faces thereof, generally in the same manner and in the same arrangement as the clamping members l! and l2 are secured to the Wire frame The function and mode of use of the modification illustrated in Fig. l is substantially like that of the frame 2, so that a further description thereof is really unnecessary.

It will be observed that when employing the garment hanger comprising my invention, the garment may be secured to the waist or belt-supporting member without the employment of any pins or similar securing means and in such a way that even the most fragile types of garment material are not damaged.

Due to the fact that the excess material lying on opposite sides of the frame and which is gathn 1 ered in order to have the garment snugly embrace the frame and be supported thereby, is arranged in smooth folds so that the application of a garment to my hanger, even over extended periods of time, does not wrinkle the same, the garment, when removed from the hanger, may be worn without re-pressing.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that when a garment is supported on the device comprising my invention, both front and back of the garment may be displayed to equal advantage, this not being possible with the devices of the prior art. Due to the fact that all of the surplus material lying along opposite sides of the supporting form is gathered in the form of folds and supported inwardly of the garment by my supporting and display device, both the front and back of the garment may be displayed to equal advantage, since it is not necessary to fold over the material on the back of the display device in the manner necessary in the prior art.

The foregoing features and advantages of my invention make it possible to employ the Waist or shoulder-supporting section of my hanger as a means for supporting garments when they are packed in boxes. When used in this fashion, the members such as those illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 may have the projections on their upper and lower ends omitted for the obvious reason that when employed for the purpose of supporting garments packed in boxes, such projections are not needed.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:-

1. As an element of a garment-supporting or display device, a substantially flat frame, said frame having a front face and a rear face, resilient means extending along opposite side margins of said frame to secure folds of the garment material gathered along such side margins, one of said means extending across and being secured to said frame upon its front face and another of said means extending across and being secured to said rear face.

2. As an element of a garment-supporting or display device, a substantially flat wire frame, said frame having a front face and a rear face, resilient means extending along opposite side margins of said frame to secure folds of the garment material gathered along such side margins, one of said means extending across and being secured to said frame upon its front face and another of said means extending across and being secured to said rear face, said means comprising open wire frames each having a portion similar in configuration to a side margin of said frame.

3. As an element of a garment-supporting or display device, an open wire substantially flat frame, said frame having a front face and a rear face, resilient means extending along approximately the entire length of the opposite side margins of said frame to secure folds of the garment material gathered along such side margins, one of said means extending across and being secured to said frame upon its front face and another of said means extending across and being secured to said rear face.

4. As an element of a garment-supporting or display device, a substantially at wire frame, said frame having a front face and a rear face, resilient means extending along approximately the entire length of the opposite side margins of said frame to secure folds of the garment material gathered along such side margins, one of said means extending across and being secured to said frame upon its front face and another of said means extending across and being secured to said rear face, said means comprising open wire frames each having a portion similar in configuration to a side margin of said frame.

5. As an element of a garment-supporting or display device, an open wire substantially at frame, saidframe having a front face and a rear face, resilient means extending along opposite side margins of said frame to secure folds of the garment material gathered along such side margins, one of said means extending across and being secured to said frame upon its front face and another of said means exten-ding across and being secured to said rear face, said means comprising U-shaped retaining members with the extremities of the legs of said U attached to one side margin of said frame and the base of the U approximately contacting the opposite Side margin.

JOHN F. HARRISON. 

